BEGINNING THOUGHTS

August 6, 2009

I’m 4 months into my new home birth business, Gentle Birth Care, and I’ve been thinking about writing about it as a blog. I think people are very interested in birth experiences, either because they are pregnant and desire reassurance about having a beautiful birth for themselves; or because they have given birth or seen a birth recently and want to review and recapture, or perhaps looking for ideas to improve their future birth experiences. Giving birth is one of the most fundamental and important events in any woman’s or man’s life.The power and energy involved in this monumental task can’t help but have a profound effect on all.
So I thought reviewing and talking about my births, sharing stories and ideas, discussing alternative remedies & techniques might help all my moms and families out there, as they either get ready to birth, or as remember their own birth stories.
As a quick overview or recap, since I left West Suburban Midwife Assoc., I have mostly delivered some wonderful moms expecting their 2nd child. Most had had great 1st births either with me, or other midwives and were looking now for the ease of delivering in their own homes, their own beds. The idea of not having to leave their toddlers behind or of including their toddler in their birth experience played a big part. Most were desirous of not having the hospital regimen disrupt the power and beauty of giving birth. Most of my moms had a water birth. Several of my moms have reached down with their own hands to help bring their babies into the world. All my babies have been stunningly beautiful, some with or with-out hair, all with that wide-eyed alertness as they gazed into their mothers’ or fathers’ faces. All have greedily learned to suck at their mother’s breasts, with their hands unconsciously getting in their way. I’ve had a few more girls than boys, so far. With the second or fifth birth, my moms still are so thankful that labor is tough but manageable. There is pain or discomfort, but they know it will soon end and they will hold their baby. The end goal is in site, and they know already that it is well-worth it. Most can’t believe how quick and relatively pain-free the birth was, but also how intense at times it was.